Optical connection with splicing connectors and adapter

Abstract

An optical connection comprises an adapter having a housing and a splice guide. The optical connection also comprises a pair of splicing connectors each having an outer housing and a fiber guide within the outer housing. The splicing connectors also include optical fibers extending through the fiber guides. The fiber guides and optical fibers of the splicing connectors are configured to allow relative movement therebetween. The outer housing of each splicing connector is received in and latched to the housing of the adapter, and the optical fibers are abutted together within a cavity of the splice guide such that the splicing connectors are mated in the adapter.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An optical connection, comprising:
 an adapter having a housing and a splice guide within the housing; and   a pair of splicing connectors each having an outer housing, a fiber guide within the outer housing, and optical fibers extending beyond the fiber guide;   wherein the splicing connectors are mated together in the adapter without either splicing connector using a ferrule to support and mate the optical fibers, the outer housing of each splicing connector being received in and latched to the housing of the adapter, and the optical fibers of each splicing connector being received and aligned by the splice guide of the adapter so that the optical fibers are spliced in a cavity of the splice guide.   
     
     
         2 . The optical connection of  claim 1 , wherein spaces are defined within the adapter between the splice guide and housing to accommodate a portion of the outer housing of each splicing connector. 
     
     
         3 . The optical connection of  claim 2 , wherein the splice guide includes portions extending above and below the cavity such that the spaces are located within the adapter on opposite sides of the vertical portions. 
     
     
         4 . The optical connection of  claim 2 , wherein the splice guide is integral with the housing. 
     
     
         5 . The optical connection of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber guide and optical fibers of each splicing connector are configured to allow relative movement therebetween. 
     
     
         6 . The optical connection of  claim 1 , wherein the optical fibers have an overlength for mating such that the optical fibers are abutted in physical contact with a bend kept in the optical fibers. 
     
     
         7 . The optical connection of  claim 1 , wherein the splice guide of the adapter includes bores disposed on first and second ends of the splice guide, the bores extending into the cavity of the splice guide. 
     
     
         8 . The optical connection of  claim 1 , wherein the cavity of the splice guide comprises a reservoir with index matching material. 
     
     
         9 . An optical connection, comprising:
 an adapter having a housing and a splice guide within the housing; and   a pair of splicing connectors each having an outer housing and a fiber guide within the outer housing, the splicing connectors also including optical fibers extending through the fiber guides;   wherein:
 the fiber guides and optical fibers of the splicing connectors are configured to allow relative movement therebetween; 
 the outer housing of each splicing connector is received in and latched to the housing of the adapter; and 
 the optical fibers are abutted together within a cavity of the splice guide such that the splicing connectors are mated in the adapter. 
   
     
     
         10 . The optical connection of  claim 9 , wherein spaces are defined within the adapter between the splice guide and housing to accommodate a portion of the outer housing of each splicing connector. 
     
     
         11 . The optical connection of  claim 10 , wherein the splice guide includes portions extending above and below the cavity such that the spaces are located within the adapter on opposite sides of the vertical portions. 
     
     
         12 . The optical connection of  claim 9 , wherein the splice guide is integral with the housing. 
     
     
         13 . The optical connection of  claim 9 , wherein the optical fibers have an overlength for mating such that the optical fibers are abutted in physical contact with a bend kept in the optical fibers. 
     
     
         14 . The optical connection of  claim 9 , wherein the splice guide of the adapter includes bores disposed on first and second ends of the splice guide, the bores extending into the cavity of the splice guide. 
     
     
         15 . The optical connection of  claim 1 , wherein the cavity of the splice guide comprises a reservoir with index matching material. 
     
     
         16 . A system for an optical connection, comprising:
 an adapter having a housing and a splice guide within the housing; and   a pair of splicing connectors each having an outer housing and a fiber guide within the outer housing, the fiber guide including a cavity comprising a reservoir with index matching material, the splicing connectors also including optical fibers extending through the fiber guides;   wherein:
 the fiber guides and optical fibers of the splicing connectors are configured to allow relative movement therebetween; 
 the splicing connectors do not include a ferrule to support the optical fibers; 
 the outer housing of each splicing connector configured to be received in and latched to the housing of the adapter; and 
 spaces are defined within the adapter between the splice guide and housing to accommodate a portion of the outer housing of each splicing connector, such that the adapter is configured to receive the splicing connectors with the optical fibers extending into the cavity so that the optical fibers can be abutted together within the cavity. 
   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the splice guide of the adapter includes bores disposed on first and second ends of the splice guide, the bores extending into the cavity of the splice guide so that the optical fibers can be aligned and abutted within the cavity. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the splice guide includes portions extending above and below the cavity such that the spaces are located within the adapter on opposite sides of the vertical portions. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the splice guide is integral with the housing. 
     
     
         20 . An adapter for mating a pair of splicing connectors that each have an outer housing and a fiber guide within the outer housing, the adapter comprising:
 a housing; and   a splice guide within the housing, the splice guide having a cavity and bores disposed on first and second ends of the splice guide, the bores extending into the cavity;   wherein:
 the cavity comprises a reservoir with index matching material; and 
 spaces are defined within the adapter between the splice guide and housing to accommodate a portion of the outer housing of each splicing connector, such that the adapter is configured to receive the splicing connectors with optical fibers of the splicing connectors extending through the bores so that the optical fibers can be abutted together within the cavity. 
   
     
     
         21 . The adapter of  claim 20 , wherein the splice guide includes portions extending above and below the cavity such that the spaces are located within the adapter on opposite sides of the vertical portions. 
     
     
         22 . The adapter of  claim 20 , wherein the splice guide is integral with the housing.